Transfer Application Season is Here

Students who want to transfer to another school in Fall 2011 need to begin working to make it happen. The posts below shows typical application deadlines at sample local schools. In general, students should have applications for most schools finished by February 1 to March 1 for maximum consideration for admission, scholarships and financial aid.

When looking at schools, be sure to note transfer application deadlines rather than freshman deadlines.

UMCP - Transfer Deadline Fall 2011

• University of Maryland, College Park www.umd.edu/
  
• Priority Transfer Application Deadline: March 1: Due to space limitations, early application is strongly encouraged. Admission decisions will be released beginning in mid-April for applicants who applied and completed their application before our March 1 priority deadline. Apply by March 1 for best consideration. Please note that because of enrollment pressures and in order to serve transfer students better, we no longer release transfer admission decisions on a rolling basis.
• March 1: Deadline for all U.S. citizens & permanent residents with any non-U.S. academic records.
• Regular Application Deadline: June 1: Applicants who complete their applications after March 1, but prior to or on June 1st secondary deadline will receive their decisions in mid-June. Completed applications received after June 1st will be reviewed on a space-available basis. Please note that because of enrollment pressures and in order to serve transfer students better, we no longer release transfer admission decisions on a rolling basis.
• www.admissions.umd.edu/admissions/apply/transferdeadline.asp

DID YOU KNOW:

• UM offers Pre-Transfer Advising. Pre-Transfer Advisors can help students determine how transfer courses will apply to UM degrees, identify remaining UM general education and major requirements, and locate specific resources to receive additional assistance.
  Prospective transfer students can receive Pre- Transfer Advising via the following methods: - 15 minute Walk In Advising Appointments(Monday & Thursday: 1:30pm – 4:00pm); 30 minute Advising Appointments (AIM, In Person, Telephone); e-mail (transferadvising@umd.edu); and through scheduled Community College Visits. Phone (301.405.9448 and 301.405.9449)
• See the list of MC to UMCP CORE General Education Requirements here.
• UMCP has 14 competitive majors, called Limited Enrollment Programs (LEP), which have additional "gateway" course requirements and GPA minimums: www.lep.umd.edu/
• On-campus housing (dormitory) opportunities for transfer students are very limited - you may apply, but also investigate the resources of the Off Campus Housing Office.
• Find UM Facts

Towson University - Transfer Deadline

• Towson University www.towson.edu/
  
• Transfer Deadline for Fall 2011: February 15th
  "Priority admission is reserved for transfer students from a Maryland community college who have earned at least 56 transferable credits, are in good academic standing, and have maintained a GPA that meets the policies set by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and University System of Maryland policies.Students who have earned fewer than 56 transferable credits or who are transferring from an institution other than a Maryland community college will be admitted based upon combined cumulative GPA of transferable credits and space availability." The average processing time for an application is six weeks. wwwnew.towson.edu/main/admissions/transfer/applying/application/index.asp
  

DID YOU KNOW:

• Community college students who take two lab sciences prior to transfer will not need to take a third science at Towson to fulfill General Education Requirements. Find out more at www.towson.edu/registrar/Degree/geneds/
• Business majors must have a separate GPA of 2.7 for all Core Business courses - see details here. www.towson.edu/cbe/dept/ The Business major at TU asks for BA 210/MA 116 Statistics as the only math requirement.
• Towson offers a combined BS/MS (bachelor's and master's) degree in Occupational Therapy.
• Towson has 21 “Screened Majors.” Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to "screened" majors. Screened majors have additional admission requirements. Some screened majors require students to meet certain academic and/or curricular criteria, such as completing prerequisite courses or attaining a specific average, before they are admitted to these programs. Other programs require a portfolio review or audition for admission. See the list of Screened Majors here: wwwnew.towson.edu/main/academics/ugrad/screened.asp
• Facts about Towson

Transfer Deadline for Fall 2011 - UMBC

• UMBC - University of Maryland, Baltimore County www.umbc.edu/
• Fall 2011 Transfer Admission Deadlines:
  - Priority: March 15 (for full scholarship consideration)
  - Regular Decision: May 31
• www.umbc.edu/undergraduate/apply_now/transfer.html

DID YOU KNOW:

• UMBC has a foreign language requirement for all majors. Check out the specific ways to meet this requirement www.umbc.edu/mll/general.html.
• Students who are in Phi Theta Kappa may qualify for scholarships at UMBC.
• The TSA Program grants $1,500 awards to qualified students - see details.
• Most popular majors at UMBC: Biology/Biological Sciences,Computer and Information Sciences, and Psychology
• Fast Facts about UMBC.

UMUC - Transfer Deadlines

• UMUC University of Maryland, University College www.umuc.edu/
• Admission is granted on a rolling basis - there are not specific deadlines.
• The UMUC Alliance Program for Maryland community college students provides one curriculum plan for earning an associate's degree and a UMUC bachelor's degree seamlessly.
• UMUC will accept up to 70 applicable community college credits from a Maryland community college.
• See MC - UMUC Alliance Program Worksheets at this link.
• Special Benefits of Being an Alliance Student
  - Waiver of UMUC's $50 admission application fee.*
  - Simultaneous registrations at your community college and UMUC.
  - Access to the extensive University System of Maryland library, tutoring, writing assistance, career counseling, computer labs, and more.
  - Easily apply online with the e-application.

DID YOU KNOW:

• UMUC has generous transfer scholarships, offered both in Fall and Spring, to community college students who have completed an associate's degree: www.umuc.edu/financialaid/escholarships/ccsp/maryland.shtml
• UMUC's Curriculum Planning Worksheets will help you develop a comprehensive four-year plan.

UMUC Quick Facts

American University - Transfer Deadline Fall 2011

1. American University www.american.edu
2. Transfer Application Deadline for Fall 2011: July 1 (March 1 is the deadline to be considered for scholarships/financial aid.) www.american.edu/admissions/transfer/transferinstructions.cfm

DID YOU KNOW:

• "To be considered a competitive transfer applicant, you should have a GPA of at least 2.5/4.0 at your current institution. Please note: Some of AU's schools and colleges have more rigorous GPA requirements. To transfer into the following schools, you must have a minimum GPA of: School of International Service (3.0/4.0); and School of Education (2.7/4.0)." (from the AU Website)
• AU requires that students take a Mathematics Competency test when they transfer, unless you have completed MA 181, Calculus I. If you have completed another college-level math at the community college (MA 110 through MA 180), this policy still applies to you. Check here for details.
• Five most popular majors at AU:

- 25% International relations and affairs
- 16% business administration and management
- 10% political science and government
- 6% communication studies/speech communication and rhetoric
- 4% journalism

· AU Facts: www.collegeprofiles.com/american.html

Transfer Application Deadlines - Howard University

• Howard University www.howard.edu
• Transfer Deadline for Fall 2011: February 15 www.howard.edu/enrollment/admission/transfer.htm
  Admission criteria vary among Howard University's schools and colleges. In general, a transfer student must transfer a minimum of 15 credit hours from a regionally accredited postsecondary institution, have earned a 2.5 cumulative grade point average and received a passing grade of C or better in both a college-level English and college-level math course. Additional credentials such as a high school transcript and SAT scores may be requested for admission.

DID YOU KNOW:

• HU List of Majors
• Virtual Tour of the Howard University Campus
• Howard University offers Transfer Scholarships
• Howard University Facts

Steps to Applying for Transfer Admission

1. Complete the application for transfer admission - for best consideration for admission and for scholarships & financial aid, apply well before suggested deadlines. Aim for February 1st (or earlier!) for most schools.
   


2. Apply on-line when possible. This is a faster method and allows you to track your application's progress.
   


3. Request that an official copy of your MC transcript be sent to the school(s) of interest. There is a $5 fee per MC transcript. If you request a transcript to be sent to a Maryland public four-year institution, your transcript will be sent electronically. Maryland schools prefer this way to receive your transcript - do NOT hand-carry transcripts to Maryland state schools - this will slow up your application process.


4. If you have fewer than 30 credits showing on your transcript at the time of application, you will probably be asked to submit your high school record and SAT scores as well. Don't worry over this - your college performance is the deciding factor in most cases, not your high school information. Go to your former high school guidance office to request a transcript to send with your admissions application. Request SAT scores from www.collegeboard.org/.
   


5. Most schools will not begin to consider transfer applications until March 1. You should, however, get a reply that acknowledges receipt of your application. If you don't hear anything from the school 4 weeks after submitting the application, contact them to verify that it arrived.
   


6. The essay - don't agonize over it, get it done! YES, it's important, but it is not THE determining factor (your grades in college classes are the most important point for admissions). Ask for help at the MC Writing Center, or from a professor or counselor - and be sure to proofread your final draft. If the essay is optional , then impress the school by completing it.
   


7. If you have any telephone conversations with an admissions office representative about your application, be sure to write down the name of the person who spoke with you.
   


8. Recommendations from college instructors - submit these ONLY IF they are required. Some schools may not request recommendations - they will admit you on the basis of your college record. When requesting recommendations from professors, allow a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the deadline. Provide the professor with a brief resume of your experience and academic goals (here's a link to an information questionnaire you can fill in for instructors) - this gives the professor the ability to elaborate on your good points and interests. If you're going to apply to multiple schools, give the instructor all the forms at once, or warn them that more are coming - most will save the letters that they write in case additional letters are needed.

Scholarship Season is Upon Us

Students hoping to see dollar bills need to actively search for transfer scholarships. Start with the MC Transfer Scholarship Page to find opportunities.

Also check with each transfer school of interest. For most schools, you can type "scholarships" in the search box on the home page to take you to the right spot. Pay close attention to deadlines!

Remember that most scholarship programs require that you file the FAFSA, www.fafsa.ed.gov/ even if you know that you won't qualify for aid based on need. The FAFSA for Fall 2011 can be filed starting January 1, 2011.

10 Paying College Jobs That Look Good on Your Résumé

Hiring managers want real-world experience—and you want a paycheck. See jobs that look good on your college resume here: www.usnews.com/articles/education/paying-for-college/2010/12/13/10-paying-college-jobs-that-look-good-on-your-rsum.html

The Road to Transfer Involves Completing Classes @ Montgomery College

Registration for MC's Spring 2011 classes opened November 15, 2010. If you haven't registered yet, use these items to get the job done:

• The Link to the MC Online Class Schedule
• The Transfer Advising Page for Choosing MC General Education Courses
• A Planning Grid Use it to build your schedule, in pencil!
• An Application for Graduation - If you plan to finish an associate's degree at MC this Spring or Summer 2011, complete this form and have it reviewed with a counselor or adviser, then submit it to the Admissions Office to graduate in May 2010. Submitting it early (prior to January 10) is strongly recommended. File an Application for Graduation on-line here: http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/edu/department2.aspx?id=14621
• WHY GRADUATE BEFORE YOU GO? Maryland State schools give transfer admissions preference to students who have completed an Associate's degree (an AA, AS or AAT). The Maryland Transfer Policy is shown here.If you aren't quite ready to graduate, remember that you can also transfer back credits to MC to complete a degree. This is an important step to mark your half-way point to a bachelor's degree. Discuss your options with a counselor at MC.

University of Baltimore's Law School - Early Entry Option

This option is available to University of Baltimore students enrolled in the B.S. in Business Administration, B.A. in Government and Public Policy, B.A. in History or B.A. in Jurisprudence program.

This program allows students to use the first year of law school to fulfill the requirements of the last year of undergraduate study; it requires a cumulative cross-institutional grade point average of 3.50 or better as computed by the Law School Data Assembly Service and an LSAT score of 155 or better.

• University of Baltimore's B.S. in Business Administration program
• University of Baltimore's B.A. in Government and Public Policy, B.A. in History or B.A. in Jurisprudence program

Students enrolled at the Health Systems Management major offered at the Universities at Shady Grove may qualify for UB's Law School - Automatic Admit Option.

Spotlight on Transfer Friendly Hood College

• Located in Frederick, Maryland
• Undergraduate majors at Hood: www.hood.edu/academics/majors/majors.html
• Students at Montgomery College who complete an AA, AS or AAT degree will have met all lower-level General Education Core Requirements at Hood College without the need for a course-by-course review.
• Hood allows students to apply free using their on-line application: www.hood.edu/admission/transfer-admission/index.html
• Transfer scholarships at Hood College: www.hood.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/for-transfer-students.html
• Hood College At a Glance: www.hood.edu/about-hood/hood-at-a-glance/index.html